The invention relates to a drive and a bearing assembly for a converter, in particular for a converter with a carrying ring, containing a fixed bearing and an expansion bearing, and a carrying trunnion mounted in the fixed bearing.
In the fields of general engineering and gear making, respectively, it is customary to mount a shaft in a fixed bearing on one side and in an expansion bearing on the other side in order to accommodate thermal expansions and assembly deficiencies, respectively, and to guarantee smooth operation.
In a converter plant, too, it is customary to mount the converter carrying ring in a fixed bearing with one carrying trunnion and in an expansion bearing with the other carrying trunnion. Special care has to be taken with regard to the axial movement and the angular displacement of the expansion bearing. In known constructions the angular displacement is accommodated by the bearing inset. For the axial movement a separate machine element, e.g. a linear bearing or a slide bushing, is necessary. However, the accommodation of the displacement by a bearing inset, e.g. a pendulum roller bearing, has the disadvantage that the point of displacement is moved outward to a considerable degree from the place, where the displacement actually occurs, thus lengthening the paths of displacement and causing the converter to be moved with greater radial eccentricity during tilting.